May 21, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews some of the priorities for Missouri senators in 2015. We’ve included actualities from Senate Majority Floor Leader Ron Richard, R-Joplin, and Senate Minority Floor Leader Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

May 15, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• House Bill 116, legislation that would bar employers from requiring employees to engage in or cease engaging in certain labor practices (Audio: Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla, and Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis); and
• Senate Bill 210, a measure that would extend the sunset on certain health care provider reimbursement allowance taxes and modify provisions relating to MO HealthNet and Disproportionate Share Hospital payments (Audio: Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

May 8, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• Senate Bill 24, legislation that seeks to modify provisions of law relating to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance programs (Audio: Sen. David Sater, R-Cassville, and Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis);
• House Bill 42, a measure that would modify provisions relating to elementary and secondary education (Audio: Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City);
• Senate Bill 104, which would require actions challenging initiatives and referendums to be fully adjudicated more than 56 days prior to the election in which the measure would appear on the ballot (Audio: Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit, and Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

May 1, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• House Bill 458, which would change the laws regarding bullying in schools and establish specific components that a district must include in its antibullying policy (Audio: Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, and Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City);
• Senate Bill 199, which would modify provisions specifying when law enforcement officers are justified in using deadly force (Audio: Sen. Chappelle-Nadal and Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph); and
• House Bill 514, which would modify provisions relating to tax increment financing (Audio: Senate Majority Floor Leader Ron Richard, R-Joplin, and Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

April 24, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• Final Missouri Senate passage of the Fiscal Year 2016 state operating budget (Audio: Senate Appropriations Committee Chair, Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia);
• Senate Bill 433, which would adopt the “Compact for a Balanced Budget” (Audio: Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City);
• Senate Bill 145, which would require health benefit plans cover diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders (Audio: Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and Sen. Holsman); and
• Senate Bill 400, which would provide that the state could not require maintenance of licensure or any form of specialty medical board certification to practice medicine (Audio: Sen. Bob Onder, R-Lake St. Louis, and Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

April 17, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• House Bill 42, which would modify provisions relating to elementary and secondary education (Audio: Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City);
• Senate Bill 540, which aims to raise the tax on motor fuel by six cents per gallon over a 10-year period, and adjust it — annually — for inflation (Audio: Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, and Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City); and
• Senate Bill 321, a measure that would allow victims of sexual assault to receive protective orders and modify the definitions of sexual assault and stalking as they relate to orders of protection (Audio: Sen. Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby, and Sen. Gina Walsh, D-Bellefontaine Neighbors).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

April 10, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• Passage of the Senate version of Missouri’s operating budget for Fiscal Year 2016 (Audio: Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg; Senate Minority Floor Leader Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis; Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia; and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence); and
• Senate Bill 389, which would modify provisions relating to competitive bidding (Audio: Sen. Ryan Silvey, R-Kansas City, and Sen. Gina Walsh, D-Bellefontaine Neighbors).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

April 2, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• Senate Bill 63 & 111, which would establish a prescription drug monitoring program (Audio: Sen. David Sater, R-Cassville, and Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City);
• Senate Bill 452, which would ensure that no person could be found guilty of failure to appear — if the criminal matter solely involves certain traffic-related infractions (Audio: Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, and Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis);
• Senate Bill 345, which would increase fees imposed on certain lenders by the director of the Missouri Division of Finance (Audio: Sen. Jay Wasson, R-Nixa); and
• Senate Bill 386, which would modify provisions relating to last year’s hemp extract bill (Audio: Senate Minority Floor Leader Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis).

This feature report isnarrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

March 26, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews the first half of the First Regular Session of the 98th General Assembly and looks ahead and the remaining weeks of session, which will resume on Monday, March 30, 2015. We’ve included actualities from Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles; Senate Minority Floor Leader Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis; Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar; and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

March 20, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• Senate Bill 330, which would allow bonds issued by the State Board of Public Buildings for state projects to be used for new construction (Audio: Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar);
• Senate Bill 172, which would require the State Board of Education to establish minimum graduation requirements for a career and technical education high school certificate (Audio: Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur);
• Senate Bill 341, which would establish procedures for reports of juveniles with problem sexual behavior (Audio: Sen. Jeanie Riddle, R-Callaway County, and Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City); and
• Senate Bill 331 & 21, which would modify provisions relating to emergencies, requirements for police officers at protests, and recordings from law enforcement cameras (Audio: Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, and Sen. Chappelle-Nadal).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

March 13, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• Senate Bill 37, which would award attorney's fees and court costs in cases where a settlement offer was previously rejected and when the court rules on a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim (Audio: Sen. Gary Romine, R-Farmington, and Sen. Scott Sifton, D-Affton);
• Senate Bill 233, which would modify provisions relating to expert witnesses (Audio: Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, and Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur); and
• Senate Bill 239, which would create a statutory cause of action for damages against health care providers (Audio: Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla, and Sen. Sifton).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

March 6, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• Senate Bill 424, which would delay until July 1, 2017, the requirement that the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education prorate payments to formula districts if the foundation formula is not fully funded (Audio: Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City);
• Senate Bill 142, which would require the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to prepare a regulatory impact report when submitting a state implementation plan to the Environmental Protection Agency;
• Senate Bill 122, which would establish a Health Care Directives Registry; and
• Senate Concurrent Resolutions 19, 21, 23 and 24, all of which relate to an Article V “convention of states” (Audio: Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, and Sen. Holsman).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

Feb. 27, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• Senate Bill 24, which would modify provisions of law relating to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance programs (Audio: Sen. David Sater, R-Cassville, and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence);
• Senate Bill 1, which would modify provisions relating to elementary and secondary education;
• Senate Bill 174, which would create the “Missouri Achieving a Better Life Experience Program” (Audio: Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale);
• Senate Bill 82, which would require the Department of Health and Senior Services to strongly encourage all long-term care facilities to institute policies that will facilitate familial involvement in the well-being and support of its residents (Audio: Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City); and
• Senate Bill 199 and Senate Bill 42, both of which would which would repeal a provision that allows a law enforcement officer to use deadly force in certain instances (Audio: Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, and Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

Feb. 20, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• Senate Bill 1, which would modify provisions relating to elementary and secondary education (Audio: Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence);
• Senate Bill 237, which would bar discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity (Audio: Sen. Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis); and
• Senate Bill 330, which would allow bonds issued by the State Board of Public Buildings for state projects to be used for new construction (Audio: Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

Feb. 13, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• Senate Bill 14, which would require all departments and divisions of the state — including statewide offices — to post copies of contracts entered into for the provision of legal services from outside firms on the Missouri Accountability Portal (Audio: Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown, and Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur);
• Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 96, measures that relate to campaign finance limits (Audio: Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence); and
• Senate Bill 24, which aims to modify Missouri’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) programs (Audio: Sen. David Sater, R-Cassville, and Sen. Schupp).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

Feb. 6, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• Senate Concurrent Resolution 5, which would continue the work of the Missouri Lead Industry Employment, Economic Development and Environmental Remediation Task Force (Audio: Sen. Gary Romine, R-Farmington, and Sen. Scott Sifton, D-Affton);
• Senate Bill 44, legislation that would prohibit employers from inquiring into or considering the criminal records of applicants before offering a conditional proposal of employment (Audio: Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, and Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff);
• Senate Bill 11, a measure relating to the ethical behavior of public officials and lobbyists (Audio: Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles); and
• Senate Bill 15, which would create a commission to study Missouri’s tax code (Audio: Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

Jan. 30, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• Senate Bill 12, a measure that would modify provisions relating to agriculture (Audio: Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown, and Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur);
• Senate Bill 82, which would require long-term care facilities to be encouraged to institute policies facilitating familial involvement in the well-being and support of its residents (Audio: Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, and Sen. David Sater, R-Cassville); and
• Senate Bill 1 and Senate Bill 49, measures that would also modify provisions relating to elementary and secondary education (Audio: Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and Sen. Scott Sifton, D-Affton).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

Jan. 23, 2015 — This Week in the Missouri Senate reviews:

• Senate Bill 24, heard by the Seniors, Families and Children Committee, which would modify requirements to receive public assistance (Audio: Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City);
• Senate Bill 12, which would modify provisions relating to agriculture, and was heard in the Senate Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources Committee (Audio: Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown, and Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City);
• Senate Concurrent Resolution 8, which would create a state buildings project list to be funded by revenue bonds issued by the State Board of Public Buildings, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 9, which would create a higher education buildings project list to be funded by revenue bonds issued by the State Board of Public Buildings (Audio: Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar); and
• Preferred legislation to be debated on the Missouri Senate floor this session (Audio: Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, and Senate Minority Floor Leader Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis).

This feature report is narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.

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